Need a simple Logo for New Web 2.0 Neighborhood Site

How AnnMB started their logo design journey

Summary

Update:
We wanted a simple skyline in a crystal ball -but something that had a little creativity to it in a simple way. We like the crystal balls we are seeing but are worried they are slightly too complex for Web 2.0.

So we are open to seeing some other ideas now, beyond the skyline in a crystal ball, if your design will get us to the same end goal, which is:
a simple, urban, cheerful, warm, and inviting logo that conveys our focus on neighborhoods.
No worries, we are still loving the designs we have given 4 star ratings to below!

We want the logo to resemble Web 2.0 logos –meaning simple and friendly feeling, rounded text.
See here: http://fontfeed.com/archives/the-lo…of-web-20/
If attempting a crystal ball, we particularly like the basecamp logo, where with great simplicity there is a rounded bubble effect. It doesn’t need to be done exactly like the basecamp logo, but we want it to be simple http://www.flickr.com/photos/julian…2/sizes/o/
*We would like people to keep the feeling of the logo light and cheerful. -no heavy, dark colors.
If doing a crystal ball:
*We encourage people to use no more than three colors (different shades of colors are fine)
*Can we keep the graphic on the left of our name, "NabeWise"

Ratings System:
2 star and below - not really what I'm looking for.
3 star - getting closer but need revisions or a different take on your
design
4 star - design is being considered
5 star - I really like the design and will make the final selections from
these.

Company name

NabeWise.com

What inspires you and how do you envision the design for your business?

Who we are: NabeWise is a user-generated, media company focused on neighborhoods and the qualitative traits that truly define them, such as reputation, culture, look and feel, residents, trends, etc.

Our mission: NabeWise’s mission is to be the most trusted, fun, and engaging source for anyone to instantly understand, compare, and discuss neighborhoods.

We are seeking: A Web 2.0 logo that has a city skyline inside -possibly a crystal ball with a skyline, but we are open to other ideas.

Wants

- Wewant the skyline to be simple and urban
- Wewant the logo to resemble Web 2.0 logos –meaning simple and friendly feeling,rounded text. See here: http://fontfeed.com/archives/the-lo…of-web-20/
- We want the logo to be shrinkable and still recognizable, so that we can use it up in the URL part of the browser (like the "99" logo for 99 designs up to the left of the URL in your browser) - or it could have some component that is shrinkable like mint.com takes one leaf from their logo for this purpose.
- We like the colors in our previous logo OK, but if you think a colorchange would help, please feel free. Note that we have rejected logos that have too many colors or feel dark and ominous.
- Ourfont needs to be friendly and warm and also help our long name not takeup too much space. Please use something like Helvetica rounded boldcondensed -#29 on this list: http://www.linotype.com/526/helveti…amily.html
- Finaldesign will be delivered in both Photoshop and vector formats.
- Wealso need a file with the colors and fonts please.
- Minimum300dpiIf designing a crystal ball:
- we like a floating crystal ball as opposed to one that is on a stand.- We want a nice, simple, glassy reflection on the surface of the crystal ball.

Don't want

- Anything too complicated/intricate
- Too many colors
- Dark colorsHere are images of our previous logo design: http://www.flickr.com/photos/747329…375493865/
- This is what we didn't like about these designs:- Skylinelooks awkward -the buildings and the spacing between them are strange. Wedo want a super simple skyline, nothing intricate, but think this could be better. See streetadvisor.com's skyline, which is simple, buttoo suburban. We want simple, but urban. -we also do not want to resemble them!
- Thereflection on the actual balls are splotchy and didn't fully communicate therounded nature of the crystal ball. –see the basecamp logo, where with greatsimplicity there is a rounded bubble effect. It doesn’t need to be done exactly like the basecamp logo, but we wantit to be simple http://www.flickr.com/photos/julian…2/sizes/o/
- Also,we think it could be a little cheerier and happier. Neighborhoods are happy.
- Didn’tlike the font, which is just Arial rounded, -we want something a little moreinteresting –like Helvetica rounded bold condensed.
- We thought the text size on these versions needed to be larger to be in proportion with the crystal ball.
- Wethink we would like the shadow beneath the ball, but feel like this shadow isn’tperfect. -maybe it's too large?
- Generallywe think these logos lack professionalism –it was close but not good enough.